THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: What’s your game plan for Shashi Tharoor?
If Congress wants a comeback in the state, there should be leaders like Shashi Tharoor. The current political situation demands a leader of Tharoor’s stature. People cutting across political affiliations look forward to seeing that happening in Congress. The leadership should be ready to accommodate this reality.
Do you expect the support of the state Congress leadership?
The leadership should realise the pulse of the masses and think about the future. The laymen wants a change in Congress and only Tharoor can bring it.
What happened when the Youth Congress backed out from holding the seminar on “Sangh Parivar and Challenges to Secularism”?
I saved the Congress party’s image. It would have been affected if I had not come up with alternative arrangements to hold the seminar against the Sangh Parivar.
Otherwise, the repercussions would have been drastic as minorities would have distanced themselves from the Congress. How would I remain in Kozhikode then?
A top Congress leader recently raised serious allegations against Tharoor. He asked about his absence from Opposition protests on issues like K- Rail, Vizhinjam, MGNREGA and the letter row. What’s your take?
(Laughs). Manmohan Singh was prime minister for two terms. He brought in globalisation as well as other changes in the economic policy. Congress has leaders of different statures. Tharoor need not hold the flag in protest or barge into the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation office. It depends on how Tharoor’s experience and expertise are used.
What about the allegation that Tharoor and you have brought in a parallel set-up keeping the party leadership at bay?
We have never brought in any parallel set-up. My aim is to strengthen the party so that the Congress would make a remarkable comeback. People from different walks, including students, Indian Medical Association, Calicut Chamber of Commerce and Industry have been trying to bring Tharoor to Malabar to hold programmes.
Now you’re on your third term as MP. There are fewer chances for you to get another term in Lok Sabha. Are you eying a ticket to the Assembly by backing Tharoor as the Chief Minister candidate?
I am neither a dreamer nor acts in a premeditated manner. I never dreamt of becoming an MP. It was A K Antony who pressured me to contest Lok Sabha polls. Kozhikode does not have a Congress legislator for the last 20 years. But I defended my Lok Sabha seat for three terms.
Unlike others, I don’t envisage that I would become a legislator or a parliamentarian at a certain age.
Tharoor has got massive support from the people irrespective of caste, creed and religion. The Congress party should cash in on the same.
It will only strengthen the party. Apart from that, I don’t have any agenda. The ultimate focus is that the State should have a good image with Tharoor at the front.